Katie Taylor avenged her first professional defeat to win a majority decision over Chantelle Cameron to win the Undisputed Junior Welterweight Title in front of a raucous crowd at 3 Arena in Dublin, Ireland

It was an action packed fight with Taylor landing the crisper combinations that had the crowd on their feet throughout the “Fight of They Year” Candidate. Cameron was courageous in defeat as she fought through a bad cut on her forehead that started in the second round.

Taylor, 139.6 lbs of Bray, Ireland won by scores of 98-92, 96-94 and 95-95 and is now 23-1. Cameron, 139.5 lbs of Northampton, ENG is 18-1.

Cully Edges By Mould Via Split Decision

Gary Cully came back from his first professional defeat by winning a 10-round split decision over Reece Mould in a lightweight bout.

Cully, 134.5 lbs of Naas, IRE won by scores of 97-93, 96-93 and Cully won a scorecard by a 97-93 total.

Cully landed 77 of 305 punches. Mould landed 92 of 261.

Cully is now 17-1. Mould, 134.1 lbs of Dorncaster, ENG is 18-2.

Donovan Stops Ball in Four

Paddy Donovan remained undefeated by stopping Danny Ball in round four of their 10-round welterweight fight.

In round four, Donovan dropped Ball with a hard left hand. Donovan then unloaded on Ball and dropped him again with a hard flurry of punches. The corner of Ball threw in the towel at 2:41.

Donovan, 146.5 lbs of Limerick, ENG is 12-0 with nine knockouts. Ball, 146.7 lbs of Kingswingford, ENG is 13-2-1.

Carty Stops Garber in 8th and Final Round

Popular heavyweight Thomas Carty stopped Dan Garber in the final minute of the eighth and final round.

Carty beat Garber down and in round eight, landed a hard left to the body that took the starch out of Garber and then dropped him after a few follow up punches at 2:19.

Carty, 154.3 lbs of Dublin, IRE is now 8-0 with seven knockouts. Garber, 220.5 lbs of Bradford, ENG is 5-2.

Skye Nicolson retained the WBC Interim Featherweight title with a ninth round stoppage of Lucy Wildheart.

Nicolson Defends Interim Title with 9th round Stoppage of Wildheart

Nicolson won every one by boxing and breaking down Wildheart. Wildheart was bleeding all over her face. the fight was stopped when the corner of Wildheart threw in the towel as Nicolson was landing an unanswered flurry of punches at 1:11.

Georgio Visioli made a spectacular pro debut with a first-round stoppage over Lee Anthony Sibley in a super featherweight bout.

Visioli landed a perfect left hook that put Sibley on the canvas. Sibley got to his feet, but the fight was stopped at 1:21.

Visioli, 134.9 lbs of Guidford, ENG is 1-0 with one knockout. Sible, 133.5 lbs of La Oliva, SPA is 3-2.

Dublin, Ireland – 24 November 2023 – The WBC Interim World Featherweight Title Challenger Lucy Wildheart hit 125.35lb at today’s official weigh in held at the Helix, Dublin, ahead of her fight with Skye Nicolson tomorrow night.

Swedish star Wildheart (10-2-0, 4 KO’s) faces the unbeaten champion Nicholson at the 3Arena on Matchroom Boxing’s blockbuster show headlined by the big rematch between Katie Taylor and Chantelle Cameron.

Australia’s Nicolson (8-0-0) weighed in at 125.15lb as she puts her title on the line for the first time since winning the belt against Sabrina Perez in September.

Wildheart, who now resides in Chelmsford, Essex, has had a perfect camp with Trainer, Sam Mullins at Churchills Gym and is in prime condition to tackle Nicolson and relieve her of the crown on Saturday night.

“Everything is done now and it’s just the fight tomorrow night. I’m ready for this moment and can’t wait to get in the ring and get the job done.”

Chelmsford, England – 18 October 2023 – Former World title challenger Lucy Wildheart makes her long awaited return to the ring and it’s straight back into World title action when she challenges the WBC Interim World Featherweight Champion Skye Nicolson.

Wildheart (10-2, 4 KO’s) will face unbeaten Australian star Nicolson (8-0) on the undercard of Matchroom Boxing’s blockbuster show on Saturday 25th November at the 3Arena in Dublin, headlined by the rematch between Katie Taylor and Chantelle Cameron.

The 30-year-old from Växjö, Sweden, now based out of Chelmsford, Essex, is World rated #3 by the WBC and has been targeting a showdown with the newly crowed Champion Nicholson, who won the title by beating Sabrina Perez on points in Tijuana, Mexico, last month.

In April this year Wildheart accepted without hesitation a late minute call to face the American star Mikael Mayer for the Vacant WBC Interim World Lightweight Championship when Mayers’s original opponent Christina Linardatou was not cleared by the BBBofC.

At just 48 hours notice at the Copper Box Arena in London and two weight divisions above her natural featherweight class, Wildheart put on a valiant performance and extended the bigger and heavier punching Mayer the full ten round distance to only lose on the judges scorecards.

Trained by Samm Mullins at Churchill’s Gym in London, Wildheart is thrilled with her opportunity.  She said, “This is the moment I have waited patiently for all of my career, to be challenging for the world title in my weight division.”

“Thank you to Matchroom for the opportunity to fight on a major promotion and surrounded by other ladies’ who have already made history and continue to do so,”

“The atmosphere on the night is going to be surreal and I’m grateful to be part of this huge night to further grow women’s boxing even more.”

Wildheart’s manager Richard Maynard, CEO of Strike Sports Management, said, “Lucy has craved a fight with Skye for a very long time and I’m delighted to have concluded the deal swiftly with Matchroom to get her this opportunity.”

“It’s a magnificent stage for Lucy to showcase herself on a huge Matchroom show in Dublin, live on DAZN and on one of the biggest shows of the year on the Taylor-Cameron 2 card.”

“Skye is a quality fighter and we’re not underestimating her, it’s all there for Lucy to take she has the experience.”

Zhielei Zhang won the WBO Interim Heavyweight title with a sixth round stoppage over previously undefeated Joe Joyce at The Copper Box Arena in London.

Zhang landed some heavy blows in rounds one and two. In round two, Zhang landed a hard straight left that buckled Joyce and bloodied his nose. In round three, the right eye of Joyce began to shut. By round five, the eye was shut. In round five, Zhang began to bleed from the nose. Zhang continued to land hard shots that worsened to the point that made the referee at 1:34 of round six.

Zhang, 278 lbs of China is 25-1-1 with 20 knockouts. Joyce, 256 lbs of London is 14-1.

Zhang said, “Today belongs to me. It belongs to everyone who showed up. It belongs to every Chinese person who showed up today.

“I’m 39 years old. But I’m disciplined. I train hard. The next step is for me to fight for a world title.”

Joyce said, “I’m just disappointed with my performance. The [left] hand kept hitting me, and I couldn’t get out of the way. So, respect to Zhilei Zhang. It was a good fight, but I think I could have done better.

“I haven’t fought a southpaw for so long. Credit to him because he’s a good fighter. I gave it my all, and I think I can do better. It’s just disappointing. I expected to win like I normally do.”

Mikaela Mayer moved up in weight and took a 10-round unanimous decision over very last minute replacement Lucy Wildheart to win the WBC Interim Lightweight Title.

In the final round, Wildheart was bleeding from her nose.

Mayer landed 296 of 592 punches. Wildheart was 131 of 462.

Mayer, 134.5 lbs of Colorado Springs, CO won by scores of 100-90, 98-92 and 98-91 and is now 18-1. Wildheart, 134 lbs of Brentoowd, ENG took the fight 24 hours ago after Christina Linatradou had a medical issue. Wildheart is 10-2

Mayer said, “She stepped in at the last minute, so that was really gutsy of her. It’s definitely a big fight for her to just jump in at 24 hours’ notice. But she was tough and durable. I see why she had the confidence to do that, so props to her.
 
“I like to fight on the inside, so once I knew that she couldn’t outbox me, I decided to take it to her a little bit and try to break her down to the body.
 
“I do believe that Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano are supposed to go for their rematch, so assuming that still happens, I will challenge the winner of that. So, it’s definitely really exciting for me. This is where I belong. I belong in big fights. I belong in world title fights. I’m in my prime. I feel great, and I want the toughest challenges possible, and right now at 135, that’s Katie Taylor.”

Moses Itauma went the distance for the first time in his life won a six-round decision over Kostiantyn Dovbyshchenko .

The score was60-5 for Itauma, 247 lbs of Chatham, ENG is 3-0. Dovbyschenko of Ukraine is 9-13-1.

Heavy-handed Sam Noakes remained completely perfect by stopping Karthik Shartish Kumar 12-round lightweight bout.

In round one, Noakes dropped Kumar with a flush right to the head, Noakes continued with hard shots, and another right made Kumar’s glove touch the canvas, and the fight was stopped at 1:17.

Noakes, 134 1/2 lbs of Kent, ENG is 11-0 with 11 knockouts. Kumar, 134 1/2 lbs of India is 10-1.

LONDON (April 14, 2023) ­– Former unified junior lightweight world champion 

Mikaela Mayer has a new opponent for her lightweight debut. Mayer will battle Swedish contender 

Lucy Wildheart in a 10-rounder for the WBC interim world title tomorrow at London’s Copper Box Arena after her original opponent, Christina Linardatou, was forced to withdraw after not meeting British Boxing Board of Control requirements. Mayer-Wildheart will be the co-feature to the heavyweight main event between WBO interim champion 

Joe Joyce and 

Zhilei “Big Bang” Zhang. 

Promoted by Queensberry Promotions, Joyce-Zhang, Mayer-Wildheart and undercard bouts will stream live and exclusively in the U.S. on ESPN+ beginning at 3 p.m. ET/12 p.m. PT.
 Wildheart (10-1, 4 KOs), a 30-year-old boxer-puncher, enters this late-notice assignment riding a five-bout winning streak since a 10-round decision defeat to French standout Estelle Mossely. In 2021, she knocked out former Mayer foe Edina Kiss in the third round. Wildheart went 2-0 in 2022, winning a pair of six-round decisions on British soil.

# # #

 
About ESPN+ 
ESPN+ is the industry-leading sports streaming service that offers fans in the U.S. thousands of live sports events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks and exclusive editorial content from dozens of ESPN writers and reporters. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown to more than 24.9 million subscribers. Fans sign up to ESPN+ for just $9.99 a month (or $99.99 per year) at ESPN.com, ESPNplus.com or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices). 

 •  Joe Joyce 256 lbs. vs. Zhilei Zhang 278 lbs
(Joyce’s WBO Interim Heavyweight Title — 12 Rounds)

   •   Mikaela Mayer 134.5 lbs vs. Lucy WIldheart 134.4 lbs
(Vacant WBC Interim Lightweight Title — 10 Rounds)

* Wildheart stepped in after Mayer’s original opponent, Christina Linardatou, was forced to withdraw after not meeting British Boxing Board of Control requirements

•  Moses Itauma 247 lbs vs. Kostiantyn Dovbyshchenko241 lbs
 (Heavyweight — 6 Rounds)

•    Sam Noakes 134.5 lbs vs. Karthik Sathish Kumar 134 lbs
 (Lightweight— 12 Rounds)

# # #

About ESPN+ 
ESPN+ is the industry-leading sports streaming service that offers fans in the U.S. thousands of live sports events, original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks and exclusive editorial content from dozens of ESPN writers and reporters. Launched in April 2018, ESPN+ has grown to more than 24.9 million subscribers. Fans sign up to ESPN+ for just $9.99 a month (or $99.99 per year) at ESPN.com, ESPNplus.com or on the ESPN App (mobile and connected devices). 

London, UK – 24 November 2023 – With female boxing at an all-time high in the U.K, world-ranked British based Swedish sensation Lucy Wildheart aims to become a firm household favourite.

The 29 year old Brentwood domiciled featherweight ace, managed by Richard Maynard at Strike Sports Management, boasts the same key values as Swedish super-brands: the reliability of IKEA, the durability of Volvo and the A-lister star potential of ABBA.

The fair-faced ‘Dragon Queen’ has attracted full page spreads in both The Times and Daily Star this weekahead of her showdown with France’s experienced Marina Sakharov tomorrow night at the York Hall, Bethnal Green.

And early indicators suggest that the 5ft 5 ½in fiery redhead has the hardware to match the hype.

‘Female boxers are finally getting opportunities, securing sponsors, able to make a future for ourselves. I expect our side of the sport to grew even more over the next few years and I look forward to being a big part of that,’ states lightening Lucy who has triumphed in all but one of her 11 fights since storming the profession in May 2017.

The laser-focused Swede has her sights firmly focussed on a mega-money 2023 showdown against 126lb division leader and leading female pound-for-pound contender Amanda Serrano, a New York-docked Puerto Rican who has conceded just twice in 46 public airings.

Well-hard Wildheart has herself succumbed just once, on points over 10 rounds in a June 2019 IBO lightweight challenge to French sensation Estelle Mossely in Cherbourg. It was just the Swedish stylist’s sixth pro start, nine pounds above her optimal weight and against the 2016 Olympic champion. Yet the Scandinavian hotly contests the unanimous decision that went against her.

‘I believe those scores were wrong and I won the fight,’ she insists.

‘I pushed Mossely onto the back foot and threw more punches. Despite the verdict, I left feeling a winner. Looking back, travelling to France was not the best option. 

‘Watching the fight back now, it’s as if we were both in slow motion. I’ve improved so much since. Today I’m much faster and read a fight far better.’

After traversing Europe and Africa to compile hard earned, lightly rewarded wins in the formative years of her career, the Växjö native is happily nestled in Essex with her partner and two dogs.  

‘Today, I feel British. I wear both flags,’ claims the one-time IBO Inter-Continental lightweight boss.

‘Britain has done a lot for me and I’m here to stay. The houses here are very small. In Sweden we’re used to very big gardens but Brits are far more sociable and I’ve become a much better person since coming here.’

Coached by Samm Mullins at the upwardly mobile Churchill’s boxing facility in Waterloo, south London, with Richard Merchant overseeing strength and conditioning duties in Chelmsford and respected fight face Richard Maynard  pulling the managerial strings, the support system is fully in place for the Wild One to launch her bid for global supremacy, now down at her optimal fighting weight.

‘It takes me three hours a day travelling to get to the boxing gym and another hour to get to my S & C training,’ states Wildheart.

’There’s a really positive atmosphere at Samm’s gym, plenty of high-level female sparring where we can really ‘have it’. Sam explains things in a way I can understand. We focus mainly on technical skills and the basics. He also manages me very well, feels my feelings. He’s really made me believe in myself.  

‘I hope Richard (Maynard) and me work together for the rest of my career. Together, we’ll win world titles, secure sponsorships, and really get our names out there.’

One name that Team Wildheart is desperate to be associated with is Serrano, the current WBC, WBO and IBO queen and a gateway to serious riches.

‘Amanda is a top, top fighter and a great person and I’d love to share a ring with her. I don’t shout or bully. I’m very professional but if calling Amanda out helps, that’s what I’ll do,’ concedes Lucy.

‘Yes, she has experience but I’ve been in the game a long time too. I’ve already proved competitive with plenty of good people, most notably Mossely who won the Olympic lightweight gold ahead of Katie Taylor. 

‘If the opportunity arises, I will definitely take it and be confident I beat Amanda. I’ve more skill and I’m faster. To force the Serrano fight, firstly, I must win all the fights that are coming my way.’ 

First step comes at The York Hall tomorrow night (Friday 25th November) on the Wasserman Boxing promoted card when the Swede looks to mash industrial tough French veteran Marina Sakharov in a scheduled eight-rounder. 

At the official weigh-in today held at Repton ABC, Wildheart scaled in at 125.06lb, while Sakharov came in at 125.03lb.

Debuting at the iconic East End boxing institution, and with the show covered by Channel Five cameras, it presents a gilt-edged opportunity for the ‘Dragon Queen’ to crowbar her name into Serrano’s conscious.

‘Can’t wait,’ enthuses Wildheart.

‘The British people love to go out to boxing, back their fighters and make serious sound. I love fighting here. I intend to show my focus, how much I really want this.’ 

‘In my last fight, the opponent didn’t come with much. It was more a chess game so I really hope that Marina brings her best game, comes with pressure. The better she is, the better I’ll need to answer.  That way, we can give the fans a fight that leaves them cheering and screaming. I then hope I can do everything just a little bit better than her and win a great fight! 

‘I hope to showcase that I’ve a great skill base, good technique. I’ve also got great power and can seriously hurt opponents when I get my body shots in. A stoppage will get me ranked higher, faster. She’s only been stopped once but if I hurt her, I’ll go mental. Just watch me.’

London, UK – 22 November 2022 – Dedicated and determined in equal measure, Lucy Wildheart, the aesthetic and powerful 5ft 5 ½in Scandinavian storm claims she has both the skill set and mindset to conquer the 126lb division.

First she fights this Friday night at London’s York Hall, Bethnal Green, when she takes on France’s experienced Marina Sakharov on the Wasserman Boxin show headlined by Harlem Eubank v Tom Farrell, live on Channel 5.

‘Wild by name, wild by nature,’ quips the girl dubbed ‘Dragon Queen’ by manager Richard Maynard.

‘My nickname represents the strength of Sweden’s medieval Vikings. As a kid, I was ‘all or nothing’. I had a mental temper but could also be really kind. I was, and still am, super competitive and always spoke out if something appeared unfair. I’d not hurt anyone but I always said my thoughts, never backed down. I had to have the last say and would scream and shout. It caused me problems at school.’

Wildheart’s current radiance disguises a difficult childhood in Växjö, central Sweden, which helped fashion her fighting psyche.

‘My parents separated when I was pretty young and we didn’t have much money. The nearest town had around 3,500 people and I was surrounded by farms and forest.  I was always outside, falling off trees. I didn’t have a mobile phone until I was much, much older. My grandparents, who played a big part in my upbringing, had horses and cows and I was raised around nature and hunting.’

Her combative urges were initially satisfied through Shotokan karate.

‘At aged nine, mum took me to karate school where the trainer, still my hero today, was really hard on me. Shotokan gave me something to focus on. It was very traditional. We bowed, spoke Japanese and we focussed mostly on katas and technique. Coach taught me life skills and respect. 

‘I became very good, very quickly because I was very coachable and learned from copying others. That karate dojo was a place where I could finally be me and I never missed a session. One time when I broke both feet, and still went and just trained with my arms. 

I’ve thought of trying out for the MMA and the UFC. I’ve already done a bit of grappling. I might have a bit of success there.’

Aged 19, lythe Lucy was forced to leave town in search of fresh employment and, with no dojos in sight, opted to dabble with the Noble Art instead. 

‘Initially, it was very difficult because, for karate, I had a wide stance and my legs were my strength. I really struggled for the first four years but I refused to give up,’ recalls Wildheart, who won 24 of 27 amateur starts, several Golden Girl titles and represented Sweden right across continental Europe before succumbing to the paid brigade in 2017.

She explains: ‘I wanted to go the Olympics but didn’t have the patience to wait another four years. I was ambitious to move fast and be involved in longer fights that would give me a proper work out. 

‘My goal was always to train full-time but professional boxing was banned in Sweden and there were no sponsors. I knew I had to move to either England or the US to make it. England was nearer. I’d had the opportunity to box on the undercard of (ex-British and European super-lightweight king) Colin Lynes and he assisted my passage.’

In addition to her birthland and Britain, Wildheart wandered to Poland, France, Ghana and Malta to secure low-paid action in her opening nine fights.

‘Being from Sweden and not having an Olympic background, I’ve not had an easy road,’ disclosed the former IBO Inter-Continental champion and IBO lightweight challenger.

‘All my fights have potentially been difficult but I’ve taken every opportunity that has been offered to me and made the best of it. The travelling has allowed me to see and experience different things.’ 

Her recent alignment to Maynard’s Strike Sports Management will provide the much-needed stability required for a concerted assault on global honours next year. 

‘Long term, from my career, I want to be able to get a house, stables and a black horse,’ speculates Wildheart.

‘I also hope to win several world titles, undisputed, and be proud of myself, knowing I achieved everything I wanted to, Then I’d love to teach all the young women boxers out there, not just coaching but contracts, negotiations….’

With just one contentious defeat in 11 pro airings, clearly the Swede is more than a pretty face. She boasts the nimble feet expected from her study as a ballerina that earned her a position at the prestigious Swedish Academy, but turned it down to move to the UK to further her boxing career.  In addition, her four stoppages (secured in two-minute rounds) are testament to the explosiveness acquired from years of competition at elite level Cross-Fit. 

She does not lack for confidence or commitment.

‘I aim to perfect the craft of boxing,’ concludes the Samm Mullins coached starlet who takes on Sakhorov over eight-rounds in a crucial must win fight to enter 2023 in World title contention.

‘I’ve got a really nice shape and a fitness level that allows me to keep my skill level high for the full duration of a fight. I do whatever is needed to win but can change quickly if things aren’t going fully to plan. 

‘I’ve a good style. I’m explosive but can also be a bit tricky. Plus, there’s several unshown aces in my pack. So far, I’ve just shown 30%. I guarantee there’s going to be some hot fights coming out of me!’ 

Two future stars of female boxing will take center stage on the undercard of the huge Leon Bunn vs. Padraig McCrory IBO World light heavyweight championship showdownon October 22 at the Fabriksporthalle in Frankfurt, Germany presented by Wasserman Boxing in association with Probellum. Sweden’s top featherweight prospect Lucy Wildheart is set to battle the experienced Italian Angela Cannizzaro over six rounds, while local hero and bantamweight prospect Bilgenur Aras squares off with Oksana Romanova from the Ukraine in another six-round bout.

A world title has been the goal for Lucy Wildheart since day one, as the 29-years old Swedish featherweight star has had her eyes set on world title glory ever since turning professional in 2017. Just last week, she recorded her tenth win as a prizefighter with a six-round shut-out decision over Claudia Ferenczi in Rotherham. She wants to add her second win in two weeks on October 22 in Frankfurt, taking yet another step towards a world title fight in the process. ”I am very much looking forward to coming to Frankfurt and being a part of a Wasserman show. Getting there with my team, I’m looking to put a big performance for the boxing fans,“ Lucy Wildheart said. “I’ve been chasing the dream of becoming a world champion for almost 10 years since I set my goal. I believe Frankfurt could be the path to the world title.“

Bantamweight powerhouse and local favorite Bilgenur Aras will try to to excite her hometown fans in her comeback after a 15-month layoff. The hard-hitting 26-years old captured the UBF World bantamweight championship in her last fight, but has not fought since that title winning effort in July 2021. She will try to get back to fighting rhythm against the experienced Oksana Romanova over six rounds in Frankfurt. “I’m very happy about the opportunity to fight on October 22 after more than a year out of the ring,“ Bilgenur Aras said. “It’s an honor for me to be fighting on such a big stage, and I’m very thankful to Wasserman Boxing for the opportunity. It’s amazing to be fighting in Frankfurt, in my hometown. I can’t wait for the support of my fans on fight night, as I know there will be many of them in the arena.“

Promoter Kalle Sauerland added: ”Lucy Wildheart is a strong fighter on the way to a world title. I’m sure she will deliver fireworks on October 22. With Bilgenur Aras, we have another highly talented fighter in the ring in Frankfurt, a true hometown favorite. The fans can expect a great, great show!“

Tickets for the IBO World light heavyweight championship between Leon Bunn and Padraig McCrory and a stellar undercard featuring, among others, Lucy Wildheart and Bilgenur Aras on October 22 at the Fabriksporthalle in Frankfurt, Germany, are on sale now and can be bought via Eventim.

London, England – 18 September 2022 – Making her long awaited return to the ring, Lucy Wildheart reignited her career with a victory over Spain’s Eva Cantos on Saturday night and kicked off her campaign towards a World featherweight title.

The Brentwood based Swedish fighter took her record to 9-1-0 (4 KO’s) with a 59-56 points victory over Cantos at Grays Civic Hall and aims to build on her momentum with another fight next month.

World top ten rated Wildheart, 29, is targeting the winner out of the massive World Featherweight unification showdown between Amanda Serrano and Sarah Mahfoud next Saturday in Manchester.

With her last fight in August last year and inactivity due to managerial issues now resolved, Wildheart was keen for a test on her return and the tough and solid Cantos provided that.  

From the first bell Wildheart stamped her authority on the front foot with a stiff jab and straight right hand that keep Cantos at bay.  Wildheart boxed to orders, she was fast on her feet and stepping in to land quick combinations, mixed with some eye catching and hard body shots, before moving out at angles to win on the referee’s scorecard.

“That’s job done and onto the next next one.” Said Wildheart.  “That was pretty much everything that me and my trainer Samm Mullins had been working on in the gym together and I did what he said and executed the strategy perfectly.  Cantos was a tough girl and she can definitely cause problems, but I felt completely in control in the ring.  It was probably my best fight to date despite being out of the ring for over a year, I felt that I was much better than in my last fight.  I did a lot of rounds sparring with Ebanie Bridges [IBF World Bantamweight Champion] in the build up to this fight and it definitely benefited me.”

Wildheart will be keeping a close eye on the outcome of the Serrano-Mafoud contest and will be primed and ready to face the winner if called upon, but she has a leaning towards Danish rival Mafoud that could lead to an explosive all-Nordic World title showdown.

She added, “I can’t wait to see who comes out on top and I’ll be happy to face whoever wins.  Of course if Mahfoud comes out on top then that would be a gigantic Sweden-Denmark clash that would be a massive sporting event for the two nations.  I’ve got some fights lined up in the coming weeks so it’s fantastic to be active again and now I’m fully focused on getting my World title shot.”

Trainer Samm Mullins added, “I came away delighted with Lucy’s performance and we’re ready to go out again.  She’s a strong and aggressive boxer, but we’ve been working heavily on new technical things in the gym ahead of her return and it worked out great.  Santos was a hard opponent but Lucy nailed it with her feet, head movement and body punching.  We’ve got plenty more to come and it’s now about activity and continual improvement.”

Wildheart’s new manager Richard Maynard, CEO of Strike Sports Management, said, “It was great to see Lucy back in the ring and resume her career with a victory over a tough and hard opponent in Cantos.  I was very impressed with her jab, fast feet, head movement and particularly her hurtful body punching.  It was like she hadn’t been away from the ring.  This is a great foundation to build upon and I’ll be looking to get her back in the ring in the next few weeks’ as she intensifies her campaign towards a World title opportunity.”